Speedlite Hot shoe umbrella brackets

Does anyone know of any that the speedlite and umbrella holes move independently of each other so it is possible to get the beam in the center of the umbrella and tilt the set up to at least 45*??? I have 2 different kinds here in front of me... One can tilt the umbrella but also the flash on the same axis...The other the umbrella can not be tilted at all but the top part with the hotshoe mount can tilt and swivel...WTH???

I have 3 umbrella brackets and every one of them came assembled wrong. The shoe for the flash should be on the same segment that has the umbrella hole in it. This way the flash and umbrella can tilt together. The umbrella hole should be cut thru the bracket at an angle. The hole should slope up from the back side to the front side. You will insert the umbrella shaft in the high side and have it exit on the low side, this will center the flash with the umbrella. On all of my units this makes the tilt lock handle on the right side of the bracket. This might not be the same for your.

LMAO...Yep it worked... Hand me the "dummy of the day" award...Was totally stressed...but a few beers and a simple post cured all that. I love this forum...Thank you so much!

Don't beat yourself up over this, I'm sure EVERYBODY scratches their head the first time they use an umbrella bracket and/or umbrella, I know I did. I have a couple of Manfrotto 026 brackets and for the life of me I can't understand why none of this stuff comes with instructions?

dnnstnphtgrphy wrote in post #14616943
Don't beat yourself up over this, I'm sure EVERYBODY scratches their head the first time they use an umbrella bracket and/or umbrella, I know I did. I have a couple of Manfrotto 026 brackets and for the life of me I can't understand why none of this stuff comes with instructions?

Yours didn't come with the secret decoder ring?

It's as if they don't want anyone to know how to use the equipment... except those who have beat their head against a wall and somehow figured out how these things work.

If it came with a decoder ring, I might have thought it was part of the bracket anyways!

Either way, I'm really thankful for this forum and other helpful people who were kind enough to show us how to use these darn things

The bracket I got with a Westcott kit has the hole parallel with the mount (no angle). My flash can't quite make it to the center of the umbrella.

dnnstnphtgrphy wrote in post #14620444
If it came with a decoder ring, I might have thought it was part of the bracket anyways!

Either way, I'm really thankful for this forum and other helpful people who were kind enough to show us how to use these darn things

It did come with some extra brass looking threaded thingy...Still haven't figured out what that's for...but there always seems to be a spare part or two in anything I assemble...Thanks for the moral support guys.

siginu wrote in post #14621220
The bracket I got with a Westcott kit has the hole parallel with the mount (no angle). My flash can't quite make it to the center of the umbrella.

I got one just like this last week and sent it back. I need to read user feedback more carefully next time. So the Manfroto is angled?

Don't know about the Manfrotto...The new one I got is just a two section square plastic Chinese made POS that I bought locally for $26...but it does have the angled hole and center is achieved by moving the umbrella rod in or out...I guess it works but there has to be a better one out there somewhere for that price.

So can anyone chime in with a manufacturer with an angled hole and good build quality (metal)?

When I bought my first umbrella adapter I was looking for some of the cheapest models and ended up with the standard Impact model. Since then, I decided that I wanted to try a few different models... and now have the following (all of these have an angled receptacle for modifiers):

• (3) Impact Umbrella Adapters (Plastic)
  
• (1) Impact Umbrella Bracket with Adjustable Shoe (Metal)
  
• (1) Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Metal)
  

Cool, now all I'll need is an Impact for the umbrella and an Apollo for the bracket I already have. These people are pretty clever in separating me from $$.

drvnbysound wrote in post #14622910
When I bought my first umbrella adapter I was looking for some of the cheapest models and ended up with the standard Impact model. Since then, I decided that I wanted to try a few different models... and now have the following (all of these have an angled receptacle for modifiers):

• (3) Impact Umbrella Adapters (Plastic)
  
• (1) Impact Umbrella Bracket with Adjustable Shoe (Metal)
  
• (1) Manfrotto Swivel Umbrella Adapter (Metal)
  

I have uses for each of them. Though, I don't think I would put any LARGE modifier and/or studio strobe on either of the Impact models, they work well for Speedlites and small/medium modifiers... and they are a bit cheaper than the Manfrotto. I was expecting something nice when I bought the Manfrotto but was fairly surprised at its build quality when I received it - it's built like a tank!

I also have the Westcott model that came with the Apollo Speedlight Kit. It does have a non-angled receptacle, but I think it's actually the best model for the Westcott. I think so primarily because the diameter of the stud that threads into the receptacle for the Apollo - I believe it's larger than any of the others, which does a better job holding the Apollo in place and keeping it from rotating/turning (which has a round shaft vs. the hex shaped ones that most umbrellas do).

That's the one that I had - the Impact with adjustable shoe. But I just couldn't get the speed light to point to the center of the umbrella. Are you saying that you were able to do so?

frugivore wrote in post #14623433
That's the one that I had - the Impact with adjustable shoe. But I just couldn't get the speed light to point to the center of the umbrella. Are you saying that you were able to do so?

Correct. For reference I just took pictures of all of the ones I have with an umbrella mounted:

Impact Umbrella Bracket: